Life's a lie
by bitterkidd
Summary: Jii-chan is gone and there's a letter that will change Mikan's life for better? or worse? How can Mikan cope through her life without Jii-chan?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one

Mikan was depressed. It was understandable.

Jii-chan was dead.

Mikan knew it was bound to happen but it was too soon. Now she was an orphan, like she was in the first place.

"Himawari no kimi." Mikan turned around as she heard the mention of her side name. A woman in her fifties with the deceptible looks of her prime. '_Still like a goddess, I see'_ Mikan thought as her gaze lingered on the elder in front of her then she bowed courtly with utter most respect and grace as she was trained so.

"I am sorry for your grave loss, Himawari-san." The woman said so solemnly as she suppressed the throaty crack that was threatening to show. She had laid a gentle hand on Mikan's small back in which she felt the latter shudder with the sudden touch. She looked at Mikan and thought of how broken the girl was and all of a sudden she felt the sudden remorse and pity. This was not the latter need.

"As am I to you, Hii-sama." her voice broke, not that she can help anything about it. Hii-sama or more likely known as Himemiya was Jii-chan's former master in a word. Jii-chan used to work for Hii-sama as her butler despite the fact that Hii-sama detest men with a couple exceptions. Mikan was also introduced to the Hanazono Kai where she was trained to be a proper lady, albeit none of it really shows due to her accident-prone clumsiness.

"Mikan." Hii-sama cupped Mikan's cheeks with her hand as she gently made Mikan look straight in her green eyes, She flashed a sad smile and said, "Everything will get better." Then Hii-sama kissed her forehead and left.

She was all alone.

That was one thing Mikan knew. Her real parents left her when she was just a helpless little infant. Her best friend left her to go abroad, not knowing when she would come back or if she would **ever** come back. Her grandfather who adopted her had left her, though it was involuntary. Mikan had no one left except herself.

A tear slowly slipped away from her eyes as she stared blankly at the couch across her. That was where Jii-chan used to sit. Mikan's body shuddered as tears filled her face, she let out a sob but it wasn't enough to ease the pain of her longing heart. Mikan let out an agonizing bawl, filling the empty house with the cries of a broken girl who had no one but herself. Mikan had reminisced the time when Jii-chan would scold her if he saw her crying.

_"Big_ _girls don't cry!" he said._ Mikan told herself not to cry, she told herself that Jii-chan wouldn't like it if she cried. Then she ended up crying harder, Mikan knew it was impossible to recover in just a weeks time; Any sane man wouldn't. She was, after all, human.

She had indulged herself into self pity and how everyone left her, no one had ever even cared for her enough to stay but it was depression talking to her. It was depression that brought her down to the crappiest dumps. She had given up on whether or not to cry harder, it was no use stopping it. The pain. It was always there. Always there to taunt, to smother her up that she felt like dying herself. The loneliness and the longing she dreamed of having her parent with her had always been in her heart, covered in the piles of happiness because Jii-chan was there. He was her mother, her father and her friend. And yet the happiness she had was short lived. Now there was an uncrossable gap in her heart. How could it be ever fixed without her breaking up again?

Time will know.

Mikan was the helpless little girl that her grandfather loved. That her grandfather left a broken lady, not a dilly dally little shit excuse of a woman. Mikan will heal, she knew she would. She was her Jii-chan's big girl after all.

Slowly, Mikan fell asleep. Her helpless figure was engulfed with the darkness that filled the house. Her tear stained face scrunched up, still gasping for air as it was deprived from her snot-filled nose. Shaking every now and then. Hiccups escaped her small lips as tiredness lulled her into deep sleep.

* * *

Mikan felt like waking up, so she willed he droopy eyes to open.

Darkness.

That was the first thing she was seeing, or if it was really? She blinked a few times more, her hands traveled blindly in the darkness. Mikan felt the tips of her fingers touch her face, she felt her soft cheeks and pinched them.

_'I'm not dreaming aren't I? Am, am I _**_blind_**_'_ Mikan wondered, her cheeks was still stinging from the pain. She certainly wasn't dreaming, the probability of her going blind was a fifty. What if her eyes gave out because she was crying so hard? All her sight juices were all wasted on her weeping endlessly for the past few weeks? Well, someone as idiotic as Mikan could seriously think of that.

Mikan felt her eyes again. She stared at the darkness where she thought her hands hovered, trembling. It took a moment for Mikan to process that she was, most possibly, blind. Then it sank into her moronic brain, she couldn't see, the darkness had devoured her sight. Mikan felt her eyes water again.

Mikan screamed hell as she stood up so abruptly that the pillows that covered her body flew . Mikan was greeted by the sudden glare of the morning sun, It was bright, how could Mikan not see that. Mikan looked around as her eyes adjusted to the brightness. A wave of relief washed her over as if a boulder left her body.

She wasn't bloody blind.

She looked around her and registered why the sudden darkness. Mikan had unconsciously made a pillow fort all over her body, and a big thick comforter to top it up, it had cancelled the light. Mikan nodded to herself. She wasn't blind. It was only the pillow fort.

A scurry of steps drummed the floor, as it was startled by the sudden scream that came from the living room. A minute later, the intruder found herself face-to-face with a brunette lass.

"Hotaru?" Mikan's eyes popped out of it's sockets. At first she thought she was blind, only to find herself towered by a pillow fort and a comforter blanket. Then next, she was face-to-face with her amethyst eyed best friend who she thought left abroad for good. God was playing tricks on her, probably to teach her not to cry too much. Hotaru was there, wide-eyed, her face was filled with worry. Hotaru never did that in front of her, the Hotaru she knew would keep her stoic façade to keep Mikan from worrying too much. Mikan knew.

"... Mikan," Hotaru took a step towards her.

Mikan laughed.

Hotaru looked at her with bewilderment. Has Mikan finally lost it? It was plausible, Hotaru thought. Mikan fell face first on the couch as she clutched her stomach. It had ached due to her breathy laughs, her throat gasped for air as her nostrils flared with cynical amusement. What had Mikan found so funny? That was a question that Mikan didn't know either. It was her first genuine laugh in the past few weeks, this was one step to accepting Jii-chan is gone. Mikan laughed with her own amusement. God or, probably Satan, was playing bloody tricks on her, Mikan was bemused. So someone **did** care for her, even if that someone was Satan himself.

"Ohhh Satan, you're playing tricks on me now?" Mikan looked at Hotaru, still amused by her own thought of Satan taking shape of Hotaru's figure. "I am pretty sure Hotaru wouldn't be here, for all she cared. Go muse someone else. I'll go back to sleep." She had dismissed Hotaru with the wave of her hand.

A vein popped out on Hotaru's temple. Satan? Oh she'll show her who's Satan all right.

**BAKAN!**

Mikan fell out of the couch, "WHAT THE HE-"

**BAKA! BAKA! BAKA!**

Mikan was pinned lifelessly on the floor, twitching every now and then like a fish that leaped out of the water. It was Satan after all.

"So much for me to worry about an idiot like you." Hotaru blew the smoke that was coming out of her baka gun, the shots were exceeding it's limits. Hotaru stood beside Mikan as the latter lay helpless and lifeless on the floor.

"Here I was booking the earliest flight to Japan just to see if you're alright and you repay me with _'ohhh Satan?'_" Hotaru walked pass Mikan's body that sprawled on the floor, moaning about how the baka gun hurt, and sat where Mikan had slept minutes ago.

After muttering a few colorful words directed to the baka gun, Mikan stood up so abruptly that Hotaru almost jerk off her seat but Hotaru, well being Hotaru, remained calm and expected Mikan to scream her head off or something.

_"_You're here!" Mikan snapped her attention to her raven best friend.

"You really are **here**! Oh my god. OH MY GOD!" Mikan's hands found their way to Hotaru's shoulders as Mikan shook her arms that connected with the latter making her body shake. Hotaru lifted a hand and cupped Mikan's cheeks, making Mikan pause and met Hotaru's beautiful amethyst eyes.

"Yeah, I'm here." Hotaru affirmed. A soft smile crept into Hotaru's milky white face, which was so rare that you have to be money or someone so special to her, to receive it. Mikan responded Hotaru with a bear hug in which Hotaru gladly returned.

"_You're here_." Mikan broke into a sobbing surge tears, her voice was so broken and wary. it had pained Hotaru that she couldn't do anything about it and Hotaru hated it when she can't do anything, especially when it had came to her best friend.

Mikan was so thankful that Hotaru was here, she can't do anything now. She can't even walk away from the house without breaking down, at least with Hotaru she can be at ease. She knew it was a burden to depend on Hotaru but what could she do? She was so broken, her life was wreck and she didn't know what she would do now that she had to fend for herself. Mikan didn't like how she was dependent on people, but then she had just realized this when Jii-chan was now on his deathbed, it was there when Mikan promised herself that she wouldn't be dependent on anyone and yet there she was, clutching on her best friend's shirt as she broke down, crying.

_Just for now_, Mikan promised herself.

_just for now then I will be the strong Mikan everyone knew._

It had been night time when Mikan woke up again, and the reason? Her stomach had been craving for food, Mikan chuckled to herself. It was so stupid of her to drown into misery that she forgot to eat, Jii-chan had always hated her for gobbling the up food that she wasn't meant to eat and those foods that had exceed their expenses but Jii-chan would hate her more if she hadn't been eating, Mikan wouldn't be Mikan if she wasn't that engrossed to food.

So Mikan left the living room and hit the kitchen, startled by the fact that Hotaru was there, sitting on the dining table with stew set up for a serving od five. Hotaru was nonchalant, as if she been expecting Mikan to wake up. But then of course, it was Hotaru, She knew Mikan all too well.

"Well it's about time, you have saved me the time and bullets on waking you up." Hotaru gestured the seat in front of her for Mikan to sit.

And by bullets it was the baka gun Mikan thought to herself as she made her way to the chair. The smell of the stew had licked Mikan's nose causing her stomach to growl more aggressively. Mikan didn't wait for Hotaru as she said grace and ate. Savoring the food as she had come to realized that she hadn't been eating that well in the past few days.

The next morning, Mikan woke up with a smile plastered on her face.

"You don't have to force yourself, Mikan." Hotaru said as she looked up from her laptop and eyed on the smiling brunette in front of her.

"I'm not forcing myself," Hotaru gave her a look. "well a little bit..."

"But Jii-chan wouldn't like it if I kept moping around!" Mikan continued to babble, but Hotaru paid no mind to her albeit occasionally looking up to see if the latter was alright. After several moments of chattering, Mikan proceeded into making breakfast for the both of them.

"The mail came in just now," Hotaru slid the letters to the other side of the table where Mikan sat, gobbling on her breakfast happily.

"Oh?" was all Mikan could reply.

Mikan skimmed on the letters there range of bills and the condolences' letters until she finally stopped and stared at the peculiar envelope.

"What's this?" Her hands curiously hovered over the envelope, reluctantly pulled it out of the pile of paper.

"_Gakuen Alice?_" Hotaru's attention snapped to Mikan then to the envelope.

"See what it says!" Hotaru urged as she made her way to the seat beside Mikan, peering curiously at the envelope. Mikan had to tear the beautifully designed red flap of the envelope to get the letter out. As fancy as the envelope was, inside was just a simple cosmic cream colored stationary and the paragraph that says:

_Congratulations, Miss Mikan Sakura! You are officially a student of Gakuen Alice! Please see Kazumi Yukihara for more information. _

_Yukihara Kazumi_

_Tokyo , XXX-XXX Yukihara HQ_

Mikan stared at the paper, letting the thought sink in. Mikan had applied into various schools in her state, but not once she had heard Gakuen Alice. Let alone, how did she manage be a student of the said school when she didn't know that she had applied for it.

"What the actual fuck?"

Hotaru stared at the paper too, only to find herself snapping back at the reality with a cursing brunette beside her.

"What indeed." Hotaru nodded in agreement. How the hell did Mikan, _especially_ Mikan, to land into a prestigious and not to mention one of the top elite schools in the whole world. She had wondered, And how the hell is the president of the Yukihara's involved into the idiot's matter.

"-taru, HOTARU!" Mikan had inch her face to her best friend. As Hotaru realized that Mikan's face was inches away from her, reflex took over and fired her baka gun to the said idiot that had edge away due to the impact.

"Get your ugly face off of me." Hotaru deadpanned.

"Geez, I was just asking you if you had any idea about this 'Gakuen Alice school thingy'." Mikan rubbed her forehead where the baka gun had hit her. In reply, Hotaru held out a hand, her eyes glinted with delight, something that Mikan had always know about Hotaru. If you want information, you got to have cash, Mikan quoted.

"But I'm broke!" Mikan flailed her arms as if to emphasize that she was, most definitely, broke.

"Too bad then." Hotaru shrugged. Feeling disappointed, Mikan dejectedly took the envelop and set of the nearest trash bin. Before the envelope was fully engulfed by the darkness of the completely gross trash bin, a strip of paper landed on the floor. Curiously, Mikan picked the strip and started examining it.

"What's this?" Mikan pondered. In the strip of paper was a number, a mobile number to be exact and beside was a name, Yukihira Kazumi.

Mikan jolted to her room and groped her hands on the bed to fell her phone that was lost in under the blankets. Well, if Hotaru wouldn't give her answers she might as well ask the person behind all the mystery. Mikan felt the rectangular object and brought it up so vigorously, sliding her fingers to access the lock and punched the numbers that the strip had indicated. The other side rang.

"Ah, Miss Sakura. I was expecting you." A scratchy voice answered. Must be a guy, Mikan thought.

"er, ugh... Yes." the line went to a cold silence. Mikan had went ahead and called, that it didn't cross her mind on how she would as how ever so not rudely on how she landed herself to be a student of this said academy.

"Can I speak to Mr. Yukihara?" Mikan finally said.

"Ah, yes. For a minute longer now. We are on your way." Then the call was cut off.

What the heck?

* * *

This story is probably like the typical boy's rich girl is poor in the school type of story sooooo, yea. it's kinda obvious but Hey! i'm making the story so, what the heck! :

So if you guys like it or you know, have some ill or inspirational curses, feel free to review. It wouldn't hurt, because i know you read it 'till the end any way ;)

And thanks for reading. love you random stranger who thinks this story might be good. (❁´‿`❁)*✲ﾟ*


	2. the truth of mikan's past

In the previous chapter

Mikan's name in Hanazono Kai is Himawari no kimi but it's originally ruka's but then i thought that it would fit her better sooooo, yeaaa!

thanks for reading the first chapter, and yes, a lot of talking still.

* * *

Mikan stood at the foot of her bed, slack-jawed unable to comprehend what just happened. What did that guy mean? Mikan couldn't let the idea sink in. Mikan stood there, wide-eyed, her mouth agape that it was wide enough for a fly to come and make a nest in it.

"Urgh, disgusting. Close your mouth." Hotaru walked in the room and kicked every dirty shirt that was in her way then sat on the bed like she owned the place. Mikan closed her mouth albeit she continued to stare into space blankly.

"So, what did he say?" Hotaru eyed at the dazed brunette.

"-Said they'll be on their way." Mikan breathed out.

"What?"

And as if on cue, the doorbell rang. No one had tried to move out of their places. Then it rang again. Mikan registering that there was a guest on her door, snapped out of her trance and walked out of the room. She opened the door, curiously regarding who the stranger/s might be and oh so graciously ask how the hell had they come to her abode.

"Yes?" Mikan gave out a restrained smile, trying not too hard on asking rudely.

"Oh, Ms. Sakura! I do apologize for the short notice but my boss wanted to talk to you." A man in his late 30's bowed, missing the tone of her voice that made Mikan frown at the sight of then she saw a man in his prime years getting out of the car. A feeling had bubbled inside her, as if there was something familiar and yet so unusual connection that she had formed with this man. It felt creepy and weird, so Mikan shrugged the feeling off.

"Hello." Said the man when he came to toward her. Mikan bowed ever so shyly and greeted back.

"OH! Please, come in!" She had realized that she had kept her guest standing at bay, which was very ill-mannered of her as the host. She opened the door wide and gestured the strangers in then led them to the living room.

"We are very sorry for intruding in such a short notice," Mikan just noticed the man's appearance, which was very stupid that she had just realized it. She scrutinized the man who was sitting across her, silky pale blonde hair and blue eyes where Mikan had guessed that he was a foreigner. 'No shit, Sherlock.' Mikan argued with herself then continued to deduce that the man was in his early forties, somehow the beauty in his prime had stayed there. The man was simply beautiful in a way Mikan had known. She was not attracted to the old man, just fascinated by the fact that this man had beauty in his primed years. A body flopped beside her, the foam under her sunken by the new occupant; Mikan turned to see whose body it was and was surprised to see Hotaru, calm and collected beside her. That was one way to break a rude stares at the strangers/ guest.

"Good day, Mr. Yukihira." Hotaru crooned and curtsied whilst Mikan looked at her at bewilderment. How was it that Hotaru knew this man who had came into her home.

"Ah, yes. Good day Ms. Imai." Mr. Yukihira nodded in recognition. Mikan bit her lip, unable to follow the atmosphere that surrounded the living room. Not knowing what to do or what to say, Mikan stayed silent but then it was an understatement that Mikan could sit still for a minute. She kept fidgeting and twirling her ponytailed brunette tress, the silence was uncomfortable.

"Taking the matters at hand, Ms. Sakura. I have important matters to discuss you..." Mr. Yukihira clasped his hands in a businesslike manner. Mikan looked up to meet the gaze of the old man, well not technically that old, and arched her brow in question. Mr. Yukihira eyed at his secretary who exited out of the living room and headed outside.

"Urgh... What do you mean?"

The beats of Mikan's heart increased, her cold sweat had gathered on her forehead threatening to trickle down. There was a crazy feeling that drummed against her heart and churned her gut. Mikan clenched and unclenched her fist letting the blood irregularly flow in her veins, her knuckles turned white. There was something the in the man's tone that she had longed for, something quite unfamiliar that she can't just shrug off.

"I think that you might want to talk about this alone." Mr. Yukihira's gaze was unwavering.

Why alone? Is this a big of a deal that I needed to be talked alone with? Mikan thought to herself, she did a double take on Mr. Yukihira. The man looked so serious that Mikan wanted to comply to what he was asking but she had her doubts. Why would this man come to her in such a short notice? More importantly, how did this man know her house and offered her, no, the fact that this man was the reason why she had been a student of an academy she never knew of.

"Why?" The tone in her voice matched the man's composure; unwavering and intimidating. Mikan had never radiated that kind of confidence, well if she did so, it was unconsciously but this fact was different. Her stare gave defiance to the order, her pursed lips held back a bite.

Hotaru did not notice that Mikan had drew her in that powerful voice that when she snapped back to reality, she was staring at Mikan intently, her back straightened and her attention fully on the conversation.

"Because it's something that you should have known seventeen years ago." The sentence hung into the air.

Then a loud bang and shuffle of steps killed the deadening silence. Then Mr. Yukihira's secretary came in with a folder with much speculation. Then he awkwardly looked at his boss, then to Mikan and back to his boss again. The secretary placed folder on top of the coffee table just in front of Mikan, and bowed then exiting again. This time, for good.

"What do you mean by that?" Hotaru frowned. What is this man causing Mikan problems? She didn't like it, not one bit. Mikan already has already too much on her plate right now, having more could kill her.

"It's something that should have been, seventeen years ago." Mr. Yukihira said again, sadness filled his eyes as he looked at the brunette.

"I'm sorry that I took so long." Mikan's ears ringed as if the scraping of metal was the most pleasant thing she could hear. Mikan had wished that the floor would eat her up in this moment, but she doubt it.

"I'm sorry?" Mikan didn't realized that the water that ran down her cheeks were tears.

"What you do mean you're sorry?" She bite out a hiss, her broken voice was filled with pain and misery. Mikan still hadn't know the truth, but knowing that there _was_ truth made her feel so broken. She thought that she was just an orphan girl, and maybe she still was, she didn't know.

"I have never been there for you. I never knew you existed-" Mikan felt like her heart was held captive of a fist that had teasingly tightened it's grip around it, "- not until a year a go."

"I didn't know." Mr. Yukihira's composure crumbled, revealing a broken man. Much broken like Mikan was. He had lost someone he loved.

"I didn't know that my brother had a daughter. " Then Mikan's world stopped.

This was the truth that Mikan had always longed for, but why did it hurt? She had lost someone only to be replaced by another one. The world was cruel, no, life. Life was unfair, it always was. It had favored no one, especially not her. One day same as the last. Mikan had cried again, oh how useless she must felt but only this time she wasn't alone. Her uncle, not she was sure of because the man never told her if he was her uncle, was also bawling his eyes out. If Mikan wasn't so emotionally stable, she would have laughed her ass off. Imagine a fully grown man, maybe a successful man at that, bawling and helpless as she was.

Hotaru didn't like the idea of not being able to help, but she was rest assured that she did help Mikan. Only by a little bit. She was now a shoulder to cry on, much to her displease. Her clothes was drenched with Mikan's snot and tears. She cried too though, but she was hoping that no one would know. Yukihira's secretary made a good choice of staying out of the way or else she would have committed murder.

Then the night fell, and the sobs had subsided for Yukihira, he was embarrassed by his sudden outbreak of emotion. He felt like a wimpy helpless old man, but that side of his was concealed long ago, he had not expected to break not until now. He was surprised though, how did that girl manage to break his iron heart in just a stare? She clearly had the Yukihira's proud blood, small but intimidating.

He made his way to the girl who was curled up in the blankets and placed his hand on the small of the back. Yukihira felt the latter shudder beneath his touch.

"I am your Uncle, Mikan." That was the truth that he had chocked up before he broke down, something that he should have said earlier before his iron walls shattered and made him feel vulnerable.

"Figured that out." Mikan voice sounded hoarse, but still managed to sound so sarcastic. She chortled to her own amusement, somehow gotten over the fact that she had cried endless of days. Day by day crying like a kid who , not so successful than the other.

"Get some rest, we'll talk about it tomorrow. It must be a lot to take in." Yukihira said.

"no doubt about that. er... Thanks, Mr. Yukihira." Mikan laid he blanket down, turning to Yukihira's direction and gleamed a soft smile. She looked like a ragged doll, her eyes sunken deep within the countless red bags, her puffed cheeks that looked like it had been slapped. Her snotty red nose what was filled with transparent snot and probably tears, her eyes was like a mop that twisted and dunked into a bucket for several times. Mikan was in a word, a mess.

"Kazumi."

"what?" Mikan gave a questioning look.

"From now on, call me Uncle Kazumi." Yukihira ruffled her hair making it an unexplainable mess and left.

Mikan stared at the space where her uncle had been a minute ago. She had a family, she had a someone who had the same blood as hers. She wasn't alone. _She had someone._

"Water?" Mikan jolted from her trance and looked at Hotaru who came out of the blue.

"ye-yeah." Mikan croaked, her tongue felt like sandpaper her mouth. Her throat was so dry that she can't feel her own saliva, she had

been crying too much.

Hotaru passed Mikan the glass of water, but when Mikan gripped on the glass it had almost slipped in her grasp. Mikan had a too little strength, she had realized, not enough strength even to carry the glass without slipping it, so Hotaru helped her. Mikan took big gulps as she felt the water inside her mouth. A sigh escaped her lips as she finished the drink, relived that her mouth was fully functional.

"Sheesh, You're so weak." Hotaru implied as she placed the empty glass on the coffee table and sat to her rightful place which was next to Mikan.

"Aw, don't be like that." Mikan chuckled due to Hotaru's remark, "you just care, don't you?"

"Stop being thick, fool. You owe me." Hotaru hit Mikan at the back of her head as she leaned lazily on the couch.

Mikan giggled with the weird affection Hotaru was displaying.

"It's been 5 years huh?" Mikan reminisced as she turned to looked at her friend who she never saw for the past years. she leaned

back and hugged the free throw pillow beside her.

"Yeah..." was all Hotaru could say.

"so?"

"Sooo...?" Hotaru trailed off,

"Tell me!" Mikan insisted as she kept wriggling in her place, Hotaru glared at Mikan but it didn't seem to faze the brunette. Hotaru sighed in defeat and gave her a knowing look.

"London was good." Hotaru stated, Mikan urged her to continue.

"And the crabs were great." Hotaru grinned as she remembered the crab dishes she devoured in her wake, making Mikan roll her eyes in the process.

"So how was you life there?" Mikan resisted the urge to strangle her best friend. "You know, without me?" Mikan added.

"It was fantastic!" Hotaru looked at Mikan with a cynical smile, how she loved to annoy her friend. Mikan dropped her tense shoulders and frowned. Hotaru really loved to make fun of her, or was she telling the truth? Maybe life would be better off with out her. Mikan sucked a breath and let out a heavy sigh, then she felt Hotaru's hand on top of her head, patting her like a precious dog.

"I was kidding, silly. London was kind of lonely without a loudmouth like you." Hotaru said as if she heard Mikan's thoughts. Mikan leaned to Hotaru and placed her head on the latter's shoulder.

"Yeah?" Mikan mumbled, energy was derived from her as she felt the warmth of another human being. Tiredness took a toll on her body like void sucking in the darkness.

"Yeah." Mikan drifted to sleep. It was the most peaceful one she had for the past weeks, or maybe she was too tired to grieve that her body couldn't take it anymore. But one thing was sure, she wasn't alone anymore. That was something she had thought all day.

* * *

"-kan?"

"-ikan."

"MIKAN!" A voice stirred Mikan away from her peaceful sleep, making her groan as she groggily sat up squinting at the figure that woke her.

"what?" Mikan moaned as she rubbed her blurry eyes.

"Get fixed." The voice commanded, the figure had pixilated into a more recognizable form and Mikan realized that the figure in front of her was Hotaru. Reluctantly, Mikan left her warm slumber which was the couch and trotted to the bathroom. Mikan yawed making her irk upon smelling her dragon's breath. She removed her clothes while she stretched like a cat and slid into the tub. Mikan closed the drapes and turned the shower on. She shivered as the cold water touch her body. Mikan squeaked when the coldness had registered in her brain, her teeth chattered by the coldness of the water as she scrubbed her body clean and rinsed.

Mikan wrapped herself in a towel and sped to her bedroom. She quickly dressed into her under garments and slid a grey tee on her body then a less tight faded jeans. She was about to zip her jeans close when Hotaru barged in, a scowl plastered on her face. "What's taking you so long?"

"A lady's taking her time to prepare, duh." Mikan said like it was a-matter-of-fact as she zipped her jeans close. She turned to Hotaru with her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"Pfft, lady you say?" Hotaru scoffed, matching Mikan's stance.

"Hurry up if you want to eat." Mikan's ears perked up as her eyes scanned for her black flats and spotted it a foot away from her bedside table. She tapped her foot to make sure the flats were secure on her foot then looked at Hotaru with her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"So? What are you waiting for?" Mikan dragged Hotaru out of her bedroom and headed to the kitchen but Hotaru pulled her hand and led her out of the house instead. Just outside her gate was a black Sedan Ambiente and a man wearing a suit; he looked strangely familiar, Mikan pondered.

"Ms. Mikan, Ms. Imai." The man greeted as he saw them and bowed, Mikan and Hotaru bowed in recognition. The man opened the back door and gestured for them to go in. Nonchalantly, Hotaru slid in as Mikan gave her a look of horror and disbelief , what if this man was a kidnapper?

"Oh, don't worry. I was sent by Mr. Yukihira." He said as if he had sensed Mikan's discomfort. Mikan's cheeks were flushed by the time she slid into the car, embarrassed by the fact that she had mistook her uncle's acquaintance, probably, as a kidnapper.

Her uncle.

It sounded weird even if she had said it in her mind. This was another phase that she needed to get through, another problem that she needed to solve. Yesterday was a start for her, she thought. Gone was the moping little girl who grieved enough and back was the happy-go lucky girl but then that plan had backfired when her said uncle came into the door and said some bloody news. That was not the type of start she wanted, but it was practically the type of start she needed. This hope that she needed to cling on. She could only hope that is one wouldn't abandon her like everyone important to her does. Well, except for Hotaru who came back.

"We're here." The engine stopped, hot air immediately crept into Mikan's skin putting her out of trance. She was so twisted in her thoughts that she had failed to notice that Hotaru had jumped out of the car. She quickly opened the door and made a dash to catch up with her best friend.

"Ohhh! I've been here before!" Mikan said as she passed the double doors of the Crimson hotel.

"Of course you have, idiot. we have." Hotaru rolled her eyes as she continued to follow the driver that Yukihira had sent.

"Oh, yea. Right" Mikan nodded, as she stepped into pace with Hotaru. Then they went up the pension top where most of the VIPs usually stayed. As soon as the elevator chimed into a stop, Mikan bounced away admiring the luxurious interior of the whole floor. "Okay, I stand corrected. I haven't been here before!"

Then the man guided them to where Kazumi was waiting, sitting cross-legged and sipping tea.

"Hello, Mikan and Imai-san." Kazumi gestured them to the seats across him in which they had followed. Mikan was fidgeting, looking anywhere but the man in front of her.

"Mikan." Kazumi set his cup aside while he looked at his niece with a concerned look on his face. Mikan's eyes darted to her uncle as she heard her name slip out of his mouth, her eyes filled with curiosity and anxiousness.

"I know that it's too early to discuss the things about the past, but it's important that you should know why things had become like this." Mikan nodded with a silent approval. She needed to know too, even though she felt like she'd rather throw a bile than to really know the truth of her past. "Okay."

"A seventeen years ago, someone had told me that Izumi, your father had a daughter but that was that. There was no mention of who the mother might be, or any information about where you and your father were." Kazumi paused when he saw Mikan shifted, the brunette took heavy breaths as she sucked in the new information. Even her uncle didn't know who her mother was.

Mikan sucked on last heavy breath and told her uncle to continue.

"So I had searched for you, the both of you, there was no telling of who you were at that time and where you are. My brother; your father," He paused, a flash of sorrow filled his eyes and then he straightened. ",was a renegade, see? He was supposed to inherit one of our business but he bailed. He ran away with your mother, they never told me who she was. But they said your mother was brought back when they knew about you, for months they were missing. But when you were born, your mother was brought to the nearest hospital. That was when your grandfather took the action and haunted for them. Izumi took you in and left at the request of your mother.

"Then a month after that, he died on a car accident with a baby and that baby was you, Mikan. God knows how you survived and where you ended up, but that was the end of the trail for your father." There was a tear that slipped from Kazumi's eyes when he finished. Mikan's head throbbed by the time Kazumi had finished. The beat of her heart drummed against her ears, panting as if she had run a hundred mile sprint. She felt she body shuddering and trembling, but not once she had felt the water streaming done her face- there were no tears that had slip, yet her eyes was blurry as she stared at the man in front of her.

Mikan tried to open her lips to ask about her mother, but as she tried to speak no sound had come out. She took heavy breaths, then she open her mouth again only to let out sorry sob. Mikan bit her lip to stop, it somehow did the trick. Hotaru soothed Mikan by placing her hand on the small on her back. Hotaru was too shocked to say anything, if anything, she was not expecting this. Mikan was an orphan, sure, she knew that but something tragic? Blew her mind off, she had found this truth unsettling for that matter and she didn't like how this would damage her friend. But she also knew that it was now or never.

"so y-you n-ver knew?" Mikan muttered, finally found her voice.

To her dismay, Kasumi shook his head in reply. telling her that he never knew her mother. "I was too cooped up into keeping up the family business that when I had found out about you, it was weeks after Izumi had died..." There was an untold regret behind his voice. One may think that voice was restrained from any emotion, but Mikan knew.

"If... If only I knew, I could've... I could've help you. I could've raised you by myself." Mikan stood up and went to hug her uncle. She didn't know what she was doing, it was as if her body had a mind of it's own and went to comfort her uncle. By the time Mikan had realized what she was doing, her uncle had hugged her back. He was trembling, just like what he did yesterday. He regretted the fact that he had shunned his brother for his work. He had regretted everything.

"I'm sorry." He kept saying that as if it was a mantra to fend off demons. That was when Mikan knew what she had to do. She had to stay with her uncle. Because he needed her, more than she needed him. She wanted to, needed to and had to be there when everything else had failed. They needed each other, after all each other was the only family they had.

"It's okay." But Mikan knew that it was far from okay.

Kazumi composed himself a few emotional moments later, He nodded at Mikan and told her he was fine, she smiled in reply. They sat there in complete silence. Hotaru had left for some urgent business to attend to and said she'll be seeing Mikan in her house later. Mikan had search for a decent topic to start a threading conversation going but to her avail she had found none.

They had ate later on, it had kept Mikan busy; Well, her mouth busy. Then she ate a strawberry dessert that made her mind tick making her jerk from her seat as she finally found a decent topic to talk about. It was the main reason that she had called her Uncle in the first place. Something about Gakuen Alice.

"so, errr... - oh right, Uncle." Kazumi took his attention off the coffee dessert and looked at Mikan.

"About the school... Gakuen Alice?" Mikan said uncertainly but Kazumi got the point.

"Ah, yes. You haven't found a school to accept you I presume?" And he presumed correctly. It was still summer right now, but would only be weeks until it ended and still Mikan haven't found a crack about where to enroll to so she nodded in reply.

"So it's settled then?" Mikan wanted to argue, but she can't seem to find a word for it. Where was this said Academy? Who would pay for her? Sure she could work, but could it be enough? How about anything and everything else?

It was as if her Uncle had heard her dilemma that he had said, " Gakuen Alice is in the heart of Tokyo. It's a very big academy I might add." Mikan nodded. "And by the means of expense, you're off the charge." Mikan looked at him with bewilderment. What the actual fuck was he talking about. Kazumi chuckled at this.

"What I meant was, I'll be the one to pay for you. Is that fine?" Not that he needed her confirmation, of course. Mikan wanted to decline, that was because of multiple reasons. One was that she didn't want to depend on anyone just yet, especially from a man she just knew, who was by the way, her long lost uncle. (more likely she was the one who was lost) Second was anything that just came to her that seemed to link the first, but she didn't have any heart to reject either. There was a silent agreement that had develop between them.

"Ughh... Sir?" The driver who chaperoned Mikan whispered something to Kazumi who then nodded in reply. At a later talk Kazumi told Mikan that all the information and files she needed for the school were already in the folder inside her house and then told her that he should get back to work.

"Oh yes, and one more thing." Kazumi slid platinum card in Mikan's had and patted her back. Mikan curiously peered at the platinum card on her hands, holding it as if it was an bomb or some sort. Then she looked at her Uncle with a peculiar questioning look.

"That's yours now. it's the least I could give for the past few years I've been missing..." He gave Mikan a sad look before he smiled and ruffled her hair like a brother than an uncle kind of way.

"You could use any ATM with that, the password is the date of your birthday. Treat yourself, Shidou here-" He gestured to the driver chaperone, "-will accompany you for the day." Then he gave Mikan one last pat on the back and left. Touchy, maybe that's a way for him to show affection though.

Shidou then, drove to the nearest mall and told Mikan that he would be waiting there said that she wouldn't be too comfortable with him around. Mikan knew that too but she didn't want to be rude, yet he said it himself; that saved both their asses. Mikan shopped around a little, it was better than before that she broke person was just window shopping, staring at the beautiful clothes with awe and a heart broken expression on her face. Though the look on peoples face were quite unexplainable whenever she took out the platinum card. She wondered why. Then Mikan went to the nearest ATM to check if she had almost emptied the card with her oh-so-fabulous purchases.

-_please insert card_-

Mikan took out that platinum card and slid it on the card slot, failing a few times since she really didn't know which was the front and which was the back. Finally the card scanned, giving her options on what to do. Then she pressed inquire and boy, the card wasn't going empty at all.

It was a hella bucks of plenty it made Mikan's jaw drop open. She could last a year living with this kind of money. Gingerly Mikan withdrew a little bit of cash so she wouldn't go home penniless, then she slid the card cautiously as if it was the most fragile thing in the world. Before she took off, Mikan patted at the precious treasure she had in her pocket as if not believing that the thing was in her possession. Then Mikan went home with stuffs and reminded herself not to tell Hotaru about the card. God knows what she'd do about it.

Then Mikan flopped down the couch and started skimming through the folder and saw the read pamphlet on the school she was about to enter a week later from now. Again from what seemed like the nth time, Mikan was completely flummoxed.

_How did she ever manage to snag up the opportunity to study in one of the most elite school known to man when she can barely pass her final exams?_

* * *

Thanks for reading and please leave a review, it would be very much appreciated. really.

I'll try and hasten my writing skills but this is as fast as i could get. busy busy school work suck, amarite?


	3. company and stars

i Just realized that i haven't put a disclaimer her. oops! sorry.

No, i don't own Gakuen Alice. but the story is mine thank you very much.

For all those who reviewed, favorited and followed; Thank you guys, you don't know how much it means to me. Seriously.

* * *

chapter 3

It had been 3 days since Mikan's encounter with her uncle and now she was way over her head packing her necessities for her trip to Tokyo. Running around the house with laundries and empty lotion bottles that were mixed up with her fresh clothes and supplies. As casually as it looked, Hotaru flipped to the next page of her book and looked up to Mikan who scurried back and forth in the living room.

"Pipe down." Hotaru glanced up from her book to give the brunette a glare, but the latter had paid no heed to the deathly glares of the amethyst eyed and proceeded running off to her room to continue packing. Hotaru sighed as she continued reading her book.

Minutes later Mikan emerged from the living room with a loud huff and flushed cheeks. "Man, it's getting really hot!" she said as she flopped down beside Hotaru, arms propped on the headrest and her head thrown back as she heaved a breath, cooling down with all the running she did.

"It is if you keep running like the house was on fire." Hotaru eyed at Mikan as she closed her book and leaned back to recline her position, throwing her legs in a crossing position.

"But Hotaru! Tomorrow we're going to Tokyo. TOKYO!" Mikan flailed her arms to prove her point.

Forget excited, she was ecstatic! Hours from now on, she would venture into the land of possibilities and the unknown; Mikan had always liked adventures and the thought of discoveries. But she would leave her home, where she was so reluctant to be apart of, yet this was something she needed to change. She needed to let go. This place where it had the most memories of Jii-chan, she needed to let go. It wasn't because she wanted to forget, but she wanted to be strong, strong enough to let the things that pained her, go.

"You're forgetting Mikan. I've been to Tokyo. I've lived 5 years in London for hell's sake, Tokyo isn't that big of a deal." Hotaru rolled her eyes and reopened her book to take her attention off the giddy brunette. Mikan scoffed and waved her hand to dismiss what Hotaru had said. Not big of a deal? Hell, most of the technologies were developed there! Is it not that big of a deal?

"Fine, fine. But it's _you_ we're talking about. Well _I_ haven't." Mikan pointed to herself to emphasize what she meant. Hotaru ignored her and continued to read on her book. Then Mikan had realized she wasn't getting anywhere with proving her point to Hotaru, plus she hadn't eaten anything since morning and her energy was drained with her running around the house. So then she called for a pizza delivery.

* * *

"Ms. Yukihira, Ms. Imai. Your train awaits." Shidou bowed after Mikan had opened the door. Mikan jumped when she heard Shidou speak, she wasn't expecting him to be so damn on time. Then she had registered Shidou had said. He called her 'Yukihira' and she wasn't so sure that she'd get used to that name yet. Mikan gingerly bowed in reply and asked Shidou to come in. After that, she went to her room to take her luggage which was about a really large roller, 1 gym bag and a box. Halfway across the hall Shidou came and took all the luggage from her, except for the gym bag when she told him that she'll be handling it. Then she and Hotaru slid inside the same black Sedan Ambiente that Shidou had used. Then not a moment later, they sped off to the train station.

It was a 6 hour trip from Mikan's hometown to Tokyo, it was about 8 when they had set off. When they had set foot in Tokyo, Mikan was jittery, probably because of her excessive sleeping and woke up into a foreign land. Mikan and Hotaru dragged their luggage and shuffled towards the exit.

"What are we gonna do now?" Mikan looked at Hotaru while she struggled with her box for a bit. Hotaru shrugged in reply after she pushed the glass door open. The warm hot air greeted them first before a rude burst of black smoke filled their eyes. Mikan gagged, not liking the air one bit while Hotaru puffed out before reaching her hanky and brought it to cover her nose and lips.

Before Mikan could even hail for a cab, a black Ford Taurus parked in front of them. With Mikan's surprise, Shidou came out of the driver's seat and sauntered toward them.

"Sorry for taking so long."

"Shi-Shidou-san!" Mikan exclaimed, more loudly than she thought it would. "- how come you're here so fast?"

Shidou chuckled before bowing again then said. "I took the plane, Mr. Yukihira told me that it would be best if I was the one who would come and get you." All Mikan could reply was an "Oh." with a trace of surprise in her hazel eyes. Why didn't they ride the airplane in the first place? Maybe it'll be too stupendous for him? Mikan didn't bother to ask.

Then Shidou took their luggage and carried it to the trunk where he organized the things. Mikan climbed into the car and scanning the fascinating controls and extravagant design with awe. Hotaru asked something to Shidou before she slid inside the car, proceeding with indifference to the car.

As they made their way to the main streets and to the downtown city district, Mikan noticed the towering Skyscrapers that seemed to fill the sky blocking most of the sun light. There was less greenery to much of Mikan's dismay, the air was so polluted it felt like breathing in the first stage of hell. Okay, maybe staying in Tokyo isn't much of a good idea. Mikan contemplated on the thought, only to be entranced by a colossal Greek themed building behind ginormous fences as they passed by.

No, they didn't just pass by. Shidou took a sharp right turn and headed to the gate and almost immediately, the gates opened as if it was expecting them. Then Shidou parked the car in front of the building, Mikan scooted closer to the driver seat, asking why they were here.

"We're here to meet your Uncle." Shidou said, "Leave your things, we'll get back on that later."

"Okay!" Mikan chirped, then she scrambled out of the car to be followed by Hotaru, who still looked indifferent by everything. The lobby was exquisite that it was more like a hotel than an office. Shidou went to the front desk and said something to a telephone receiver and told Mikan and Hotaru to follow him. After a long endless walk in the noiseless corridor, which was weird since every room they passed was blaring with busy workers, they arrived in front of a two big oaken doors. Shidou knocked before turning the knob opened. Instantly they were greeted by two men, one who Mikan had recognized was her Uncle.

"Mikan!" Kazumi smiled as Shidou ushered them in. Kazumi gestured them to sit on the sofa that was facing the wide obsidian desk. Mikan cautiously eyed at everyone in sight, she wasn't absolutely fond of old men staring down at her and to add up, in a strange building with no people to trust except Hotaru what seriously indifferent to the hell is wrong with her?

_'No, stupid. It's Hotaru we're talking about_' Mikan scolded herself, but it didn't ease her anxiousness and her gut twisted like a foul bile was coming up her throat. Maybe she was a bit nauseous with all the riding and traveling she done just earlier. Mikan shifted uncomfortably, her eyes showing a deep interest on the Persian rug beneath her.

"Mikan." Hotaru nudged her ribs making the brunette look up, her hazelnut eyes widened by the call. Everyone was looking at her, expecting her to do something. "ugh, pardon?"

"Mikan, this is Nodacchi," Kazumi gestured to squinty eyed man with graying brown hair who was sitting at the couch next to her, "He is the one in charge of this building." Nodacchi extended his hand to Mikan, who flashed her hundred watt smile before she shook his hand.

"Hello Nodacchi-san! I'm Mikan Sakura- er, Yukihira..." Mikan glanced at her uncle who nodded at her when their eyes met. "Whatever is good? Nice to meet you!" Mikan was happy now, since she knew everyone in the room.

"Nice to meet you too, Mikan-chan. You could call me, Noda if you want." Nodacchi smiled with his eyes, he placed one hand to the arm rest and the other one, where Mikan noticed that he wore a golden bangle, laid on his lap.

"Okay Noda-chi!" Mikan was certainly feeling friendly, grinning at everyone and everything making everyone in the room ease and feel pleasant. They continued to chat for what seemed like an hour or so, then Kazumi asked Mikan if she was interested in the Yukihira family business.

"Oh yea, what do you do Uncle?"

"I am the owner of this company." Kazumi casually said, half expecting Mikan to make an outburst.

"I'm sorry... What?" Mikan didn't quite catch by what he meant by 'own the company'.

"I am the owner of this company." He repeated, one job occupation as big as this was enough for Mikan to lose her mind, he needed to bring this topic to her slowly and surely.

"Like, own _own_?" Mikan repeated, still not able to let the idea sink in.

"Yes."

"This big, ginormous company... Is yours?" Mikan's eyes narrowed the idea had finally caught up to her, she heard her Uncle chuckle at her muddled state.

"Yes. This '_ginormous_' company is mine, well, ours actually." Kazumi quoted from his niece as her face flushed with embarrassment.

"You're kidding, right?" Mikan's breath cut short, her face was now ghastly except for the red tint on her cheeks. Instead of getting all gay and thrilled, Mikan was grim. Her uncle was a millionaire, she concluded. Shouldn't she be happy? But she wasn't, she didn't seem to be happy about knowing it; It wasn't right for her and she didn't know why she felt that way. Kazumi shook his head, his lips pursed as he patted Mikan's head affectionately.

"There is more than that, but I guess it could wait." Mikan nodded, giving her uncle an effortless lopsided smile. Mikan asked her uncle to tell him more about the company, and he did. He told be that is was just on main branch in Japan, but the main headquarters was in London that it had made Mikan agape. She was in fact baffled and at same time, nothing. She felt nothing, like an empty void sucked her emotion or anything, she felt light headed.

Then they had set off to Gakuen Alice, Mikan bid goodbye to Nodacchi and he gave her a friendly pat on the back and said, "See you next time."

* * *

Due to the happy chat she had with her uncle, Mikan hadn't noticed that they had passed yet again another colossal gate and into the grounds of the Academy. Her uncle told her to look outside and when she did she was awe-stricken. It was like she wasn't in Tokyo at all! The luscious forest and the colorful hues of the sakuras and plum trees seemed to create a fantasy like vibe that made Mikan want to run around like a little girl but she had strained herself. A miles to where they were headed was a vast building by modern architecture, baffled, Mikan edged closer to the window, wanting to see more of the fascinating sight.

Moments later they had arrived with a full on extravagant guest greetings with men in black suits lining into a single file, when Uncle Kazumi stepped out of the car the men bowed in unison, snappy as they were trained to; Mikan trailed along her uncle, casted beneath his shadow as she had realized that her Uncle was indeed a powerful man.

Kazumi, Mikan and Hotaru went walked to the Headmaster's office with the black suited men on each other side making Mikan and Hotaru out of people's curious stares. When they arrived in front of the Headmaster's office the MIB (men in black) stood in each side, guarding the door like they were hoping for trouble to arise. Mikan was ushered by her Uncle since she was to busy being captivated by the buildings architecture and her curiosity over the men in black.

"Mikan. This man here, is Jinno. He is the current headmaster of Gakuen Alice." Uncle gestured to a man with sunken cheekbones and a not so pleasant expression on his face.

"Nice to meet you, Jinno-sensei!" Mikan gleamed a smile, hoping that the scowl on the old man's face would disappear but it didn't. Instead it made the man scowl more, turned to Kazumi and said, "Another idiot?" Mikan heard her uncle chuckle at the statement as if calling her an idiot was an inside joke to the both of them.

'pshh, rude old men.' Mikan mumbled under her breath, pouting as she looked at Hotaru who was silent and at thought. Mikan tried to nudge to get her attention but only to be called by Jinno.

"Yes, what is it Jin-Jin?" A vein popped on Jinno's temple whilst both Kazumi and Hotaru stifled a laugh albeit Mikan really didn't know why they did. Then a pang of realization hit her, she just called him Jin-Jin out of casualty and his rude comment about her being an idiot. Mikan bit the insides of her cheeks as her eyes darted from her uncle to the said headmaster and back again, hoping that her uncle would save her from further insults and humiliation.

"We discuss will discuss about you and your school standing and star rank." Mikan looked at him in question. Star ranks? What was he talking about?

"You see, in this school students are socially divided by multiple star ranks," Jinno began, Mikan was trouble though but she still listen to Jinno's personal lecture about the Gakuen star ranks.

"The top rank which is the special star," Jin-Jin pointed at the top of the chart that appeared out of nowhere. "These people are the most important assets of the Academy. Sons and daughters of great enterprises; In your case a niece." Jinno looked at her as to direct his point about her being a special star.

"Uhuh...? Sooo, is my uncle a part of a really big enterprise or some sort?" Mikan had unexpectedly caught on, making everyone's job much more easier.

"Yes. Yes, he is but this is where why we discus more about your situation here in Gakuen Alice. Your uncle is a very powerful man Mikan." Jinno insisted, Mikan began to protest but he held his hand up and continued, "It is not my job to tell you about your family," Jinno eyed at Kazumi. "-but I will tell you this, the Yukihira's is a very powerful family. Their company has conquered, influenced and known by the world. Your uncle is very embodiment of it. Therefore you, who is his only niece, His only living blood relative, are in a grave situation. You must take this seriously. No one must ever know you're a Yukihira."

Mikan was left hanging. His only living blood relative? A family that conquers the world? Impossible. and yet she was there listening about how she should keep her true family name a secret, and for how long? All Mikan wanted was a family, and she had one. Only to find out the your father is dead, maybe her mother was too and to add a little spice, her family were well known aristocrats that conquers the world industry. Just great.

"- only when you're 18. Do you follow?" Mikan was snapped out of her reverie, nodding that she got most of what he said to her brain. Okay, so keeping the family name a secret was only up until she was 18? sure that could happen.

"But Jin-Jin, what star rank should I have? You said I'm a supposed special star rank." _ding!_ Finally, Mikan asked the right question. She was unexpectedly coping up with the fast talk and everyone was right on track. Jinno ignored Mikan's remark on his name and thus, he continued.

"You are a no star." Jinno smirked, finally degrading the imbecile that gave him another ridiculous name.

"What does that even mean?"

"A no star has no or probably little connection to the high world. Therefore people here degrade you as a commoner." Hotaru spoke for the first time,

"Like you apparently are." Hotaru smirked which Mikan thought was a playful smile.

"Okay... Is that a bad thing or a good thing?" Mikan said unsurely, not really liking the thought of being called a no star.

"Depends," Hotaru nonchalantly leaned back, crossing her legs as she beckoned anyone to say anything.

So then they talked about the three remaining ranks which Mikan had paid no heed at all. Apparently the three remaining ranks were just below the special star but at very top of the no star. Then Yukihira told Mikan that there were dormitories about 5 miles from the school which was apparently still in the school grounds, he said that she and Hotaru should go when the night has fallen and he had some business to do and bid them goodbye.

When Kazumi left, Jinno left them to the care of a beautiful blonde teacher who was probably... Male?

"Greetings! Greetings my fair ladies~!" The man came prancing towards them an Jinno left, with an evident disgusted scowl on his face. Then the blonde man kissed Mikan's hands, earning a blush from the brunette but as he danced towards Hotaru, she loaded her baka gun making a _crack_ing sound making the man flinch and gave distance before returning to his cheerful persona and curtsied.

"Hello, My name is Narumi Anjo. Your homeroom teacher~~"

"Hello, Nice too meet you Narumi-sensei! I'm Mikan Sakura!" She bowed and beamed having the same zeal with Narumi. Immediately they got along with the same enthusiasm and cheery vigor. Narumi told them about their classrooms and chittered about his precious angels. Then Narumi brought out a set of clothes and placed it on the sofa beside Mikan.

"These are your uniforms." Mikan looked at the captivating fabrics beside her. There lay a red blazer, a cream colored blouse, a black ribbon and two sets of pleated skirt; one black and the other was beige. Mikan gushed and ask if these came with her size, Narumi nodded and told her that there were stocks in the other room. Narumi led her to the guest room which was just two doors away.

"You could change there if you want, so you could see which fits you better~!" Narumi said as he went back on entertaining Hotaru.

Mikan trotted happily to the closet where they stocked up the reserved uniforms. Then she skimmed for the size that would most likely fit her. Mikan blithely removed her clothes and started to put on the uniform, as if it was to savor the moment, she leisurely buttoned the blouse and looked at herself giddily on the vanity. She was half naked but Mikan didn't seem to mind, after all she was the only one in the room, but just to make sure it was safe she glanced to the door from the mirror. Satisfied, Mikan started to slip the black skirt on her legs. Halfway through her knees, the door creaked. Mikan looked up reflexively and saw a boy just around her age.

Mikan _froze._

Her face whitened and her eyes dilated while the boy's eyes narrowed. Mikan heard the boy suck his teeth and clicked his tongue. Mikan made no indications of moving, her hands felt numb as they gripped on the skirt that now halfway to her thighs. All the blood has left Mikan's face and was replaced by cold sweat that was building up on her temple. Despite the shouts on her inner voice to move, her body seemed to have shut down by the sudden intrusion.

"What the fuck are you staring at, Polka dots?" The raven haired boy gave her a menacing glare and turned to exit the door. It to a millisecond for Mikan to realized what he had meant.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Mikan screamed like a banshee, she hands worked lightning fast as she clasped the hook together. Shrieking louder as her hands was free of the fabric and brought it to her face as she rubbed it in frustration.

"Shut the fuck up ugly." and with that the boy exited, not bothering to close the door behind him,

"YOU'RE THE UGLY ONE, PERVERT!" Mikan retorted, gritting in between her teeth as she snarled at the open door.

When Narumi and Hotaru arrived at the room where they heard an ear-splitting scream, they saw a really infuriated Mikan pounding her fist at the poor unsuspecting armrest sofa. Mikan threw her head on the throw she pillow as she screamed, making the pillow muffle it.

'_that PERVERT! HOW DARE HE?! NOW I CAN'T FACE MY FUTURE HUSBAND!_' Mikan though as she vented her anger towards the pillow, Narumi telling her to calm down.

'_I hope that'll be the last time I'd deal with that asshole.'_ Ohhh, but how wrong she was.

* * *

so wadya think? worth continuing? worth reading? write a review!

(desperation, oh my god. )


	4. Hyuuga Natsume

Chapter 4: Hyuuga Natsume

Mikan was tired, after all the day has been hectic. Mikan had calmed down now but she was still frustrated that someone saw her. _Half naked. _Mikan was already in her room in the attic, since she was a no star and everything but she was fine with the current setup and the room was more than fine, to be frank. At first Mikan hated the idea of her room being secluded in the attic, she had conjured that her room was to be infested with bugs and cobwebs but that thought had vanished when she took her first step through the doors.

She had her own living room in a BEDROOM! Mikan concluded that it was a norm for rich people like her Uncle, taking note that this school is for aristocratic families. It was competed by a cute L-shaped couch, a glass coffee table and a flat plasma television that sank into the wall. Then Mikan went to the actual bedroom which was like, a pace away, then saw her cute bed.

Her bed was placed a little bit close to the window but not to close since the nightstand was in between, fluffy pillows covered half of the bed making Mikan wanting to just go naked and drown herself into them and she was going to do just that; Except being naked, of course.

Immediately, Mikan scurried for her jammies and changed into them. After that she flopped on the bed, her body sinking in the softness of the foam, it was something that Mikan had never been used to before. She was so accustomed to stiff hard beds and uncomfortable foam board beds that it had took hours for Mikan to sleep, and when she did, every tense muscle in her body seeped away making her relaxed than ever.

_Mikan slept like the dead. _

* * *

No, she didn't remember locking the door. She did not know that Hotaru was going burst inside her room to get her and they were going to do shopping stuff. Mikan didn't know that, she didn't. Not at all, but that was exactly what happened.

Hours ago, Mikan was perfectly contented with her life and everything else; sprawled up her bed, her drool hung grossly on her chin which went unnoticed by her but that changed when Hotaru had banged her door open, shooting her with the infamous Baka gun. It made her grumpy the whole time.

But as soon as lunch was served, Mikan forgave Hotaru and her irrational statement of _'let's shop.'_ as far as Mikan knew, Hotaru was never the type to spend her money so loosely. So she let the idea go and she smothered the gourmet with fervor.

Mikan ate with such gusto that she did not even notice that a certain group had sat in the table across them, along with the asshole that she had cursed when she slept.

"Tch, pig." Mikan swallowed a mouthful of meat, her ears perked up to the insult. Though she did not know that the insult was directed to her or not, she knew that voice, that husky sneer that she had cussed and abhorred. It was that guy from yesterday.

"YOU!" Mikan stood up so abruptly that the glass cup had toppled over; almost falling from the table but Mikan was fast and steadied the glass before it ever left the table.

"Me?" The raven haired lad looked at her broodingly; his eyes seeped out disinterest and annoyance. Then a sudden recognition had flashed into his bloodshot eyes. It was the polka dotted panty girl from yesterday. The lad leaned closer to the table as he cupped his chin on his hand; he smirked at the brunette who was glaring at him.

If this wasn't the asshole that had sneaked up on her, Mikan would have gape at this Adonis. His disheveled locks fell perfectly on his fair tanned face, eyes like fresh blood that flows endless into a void, in a word his face was majestic but that was that. Just because he has the _face_ doesn't mean she wouldn't blow a fuse; especially when the person in particular was evidently mocking her.

"You're that punk from yesterday!" Mikan started toward the lad's direction, his smirk grew wider by every step she took, closer to him.

"Yeah?" He nonchalantly crossed his arms to his chest as he leaned back when Mikan had reached him. He was so relaxed, that it had added fuel to the fire; Mikan was mad.

"Apologize!" Mikan barked as she copied his stance, tapping her foot impatiently while glaring at the lad.

"Not my fault you were stripping." Mikan gaped at him as if he had grown another head, her arms dropped in exasperation.

"How was it my fAULT?!" Mikan bit out a bark.

"You forgot to lock the door." He pointed out. Mikan stared at him, contemplating on what he said. She did forget to lock the door. She was at fault.

Mikan's anger subsided, praying that the floor would eat her right up. Then the lad cocked a brow at her, realizing that she was still standing there, in a daze while staring at him.

"You like me now, polka dots?" He frowned but his eyes pooled with cynical amusement.

"I WOULD NEVER!" Then Mikan exited the Resto, followed by Hotaru, who was mentally face-palming herself. _What had the idiot gotten herself into? _

"You're such an idiot." Hotaru sat beside the flabbergasted Mikan.

"-but that guy was just sooo… URGHHH!" Mikan rubbed her face in frustration. She still wanted that damn apology whether that guy likes it or not. Who was he anyway? Being so smug and all.

"Of all the people you mess with, why did it have to be Hyuuga!" Hotaru glared daggers at Mikan who cringed in reply. There is really nothing scarier that Hotaru being frustrated.

"But Hotaru, he saw me while I was putting on my uniform!" Mikan whined as she tried to explain herself to Hotaru. Hotaru looked at her with distained amusement playing in her eyes. It was fun seeing Mikan being desperate. _Well, doesn't she look adorable?_

"It's your fault; you forgot to lock the door like you always do." Hotaru deadpanned.

And again Mikan was flabbergasted; Even Hotaru was siding with the jerk.

"Listen, Mikan. Whatever you do, don't mess with Hyuuga."

* * *

So this story was mainly about Mikan and Natsume's official meeting.

*sighs*

I really don't have much feel with this story, so i was thinking if i should stop writing. There are still lots of fanfic ideas in my head, it's hard to focus on one.

And to _peacemaker99:_ sorry if i have ever offended you in anyway. seriously, i can't get the guiltiness out of my head T_T

So i hope you like this chap and tell me what i should do next.


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